Automatic regulator



Patented Oct. 4, 1932 PATENT oFFlCjE THOMAS M. WILKINs. or GARLAND, rENNsYLvANIA, v,Assrernon To JENNY aD.

' FALCONER, or JAMEsTowN, NEW YORK AUTOMATIC REGULATOR l This invention relates to anV improvement in an automatic regulator andmore particu-l larly to the method and fmeans for regulatingpressures to control. fuel consumption,

the flow of a volatile liquid 0r to control the f flow of solids. e Y

This invention. is adapted for application tocontrol and regulate the steam pressure of boilers fed by steam', air, gas, eilk or any volaia til'eliquid; to control furnace draft ofboil- 2O regulator embodying one form of this invention; e

Fig. 2 isa sectional-view? taken substantially on the line 2-2 lof VFigure 1 and shows the .pressure'rinlet as Vwellas `the method of mounting the regulator; f Y Fig. 3vis a sectional view taken substantiah' ly on the line 3-'3 of Figure 1; and Y Fig. 4 is a further sectional view taken on theline 4-4of Figure 1. Y

V3e `Referringto the drawing and particularly to Figure 1 thereof, it willbe noted that the regulator is set horizontally, one end being rigidly attached to andisupported by a pedestal, while the other endis free in order `35y that it may move or drop by force of gravity under certain conditions hereinafter to 'be set forth.'V Y rThe regulator designated generally by the reference numeral is mounted upon a pedestal 11. The pedestal 4is formed with a y collar-like member 12provided with a centrally disposed annular opening, 13. The

n y upper portion 14 of the collar is removably joined to the fixed portion 15 by means of bolts-17which pass through lflanges 18.V

The regulator 10 may be, for the purpose of description, considered to be formed vin two elements, namely,4 the rigid element 2O and the flexible element 21. The element y20r comprises-a section of tubing 23 having ex- Vcollar 12.

:which are engaged by a closely coiled, subternal threads 24'and 25 formed at each end thereof. In the upper face of the tubing is a drilled and tapped opening 26 and concentrically located with relation to the opening 26, is an opening 27 in the portion 14 of the 55 The opening27 is tapped and forms afcontinuation of the opening 26 when the tubing 23 is mounted within the collar 12. A pipe 28, threaded at its lower end, is engaged-.with the tubing 23 and collar 12. 60 The pipe 28, although primarily acting as a pressure inlet to the regulator, also constitutes the means of keying the tubing23 to the collar 12 to prevent relative movement of these elements.

vOne end of the tubing 23 is closed by an exterior plug 30, said plug having internal threads 31 which engage the threads 24 of the tubing. Centrally of and extending outwardlyy from the face 32 of said plug is a 70 boss 33. Projecting `inwardly from the end rof the boss 33 is an opening 35. A smaller opening 36,'beginning from the inner face ofthe plug 30, connects with the opening 35. The connecting shoulder'38, of the openings 75 35 and 36, is sloped to engage packing 39. Supported within the opening 35 is a rod 41,' the outer end of which is fitted with a suitable handle or turning pin 42. The rod 41, at a point within the opening 35, is of a 80 reduced diameter and the connecting shoulder v44 isfinwardly sloped to form a seat for the packing 39.' The reduced portion 46 of the rod 41 extends into the space 48`within the tubing; 23 and is formed withvthreads 49 85 'substantially its full length. Mounted upon and invthreaded engagement with the portion 46 'of the rod is a block 51. Theouter face of this, block is formed with threads 90 stantially .flat walled, spring 53. The oppo-l site end of the spring 53 is threadedly engaged with a block 54, similar to the block 51, and through which a threaded opening 55 95 is made. Engaging the threads 25 of the tubing 23 is a collar 57. A considerable yp0rtion of the collar 57 extends beyond the end of the tubing 23. This portion 58 is formed withv external threads `59 and terminates in 100 'rlmaybevaried according tothe amountof Y an inwardly extending annular shoulder 60 coiled yspring 62 Vwhich is mounted upon the collar 7fthrough" engagement' with the threads' 59. At the'outer end of the spring 62andv closing said end is a plug 64. The

underface of the-head V65 of4 this plugabuts v the spring 62 and'thereduced portion 66 isv formed with'threads which engage thecoils lofi the spring. A drilled and tapped opening 67 is formed in the portion 66 ofthe` plug and a rod 69 is threadably engaged with the o portin66. l'The-rod 69, at vits endremote fromzfthe plug 64,;,isthreadedto engage the block;54,localted within the tubing 23. which forms part'of the'rigid `element 20.

.Mounted lbetweenv the shoulder 60 and the innerface of the*y plug .611 is a flexible 'com-'- partment- 71 formed preferably .fromrubber Y Orla suitable' Vcompound of rubbervan'd other substances.` v "The'compartment 71,Y adjaeent the plug 64, terminates in a wall 72.l A cen trally located openingv .is formedin the wall, thediameterof which isY suicient to permit the: passage therethrough `of the rod 69.24 Thethreads, adjacent this'end Yof the rod, are continued into the'space V74:` within the Compartment nana-a Smau @piume is ithreadablyeengagedwith said-fog Rota;

tion of the collar 6 upon the'rod 69 Causes 'i kvsaid collar to compress the wall 72 between vr'n'eansit isi impossible forany Huid contained f Y wall, the" shoulder V6() 'and-*toward the ,fixed it and tliev portion 66 of the block 64. By this withinfthe compartment 71 to-escape from Y .the regulator around therod 69 and ybetween f :the wallf72 and plug-64; .f

v'lheinner end ofhecompartment :71 tera minates'fin'a-.wall 78 abutting the shoulder an'din which is formed an openingg79 of a diameter substantially that o-f the Vopening 61Min said shoulder; 'A sleeve 81, having flanges 82 bearing againsttheinner face ,of

the Awal-1178, extends outwardly A`through said element 20. This end of the sleeve i'sfor-med wit'hfeXternal. threads83` which `areei'igaged by a'nutS't. Byturning the-nut '84C upen the sleeve, said sleeve is moved to' compressfthe plete` seal of said wall with the shoulder .60

:eterY to permitany l sidewise-move'm`ent of said rod during operationof-the regulator, withoutsaid rod contacting with thehwall of said opening.

Secured to or formed integralk the head 6,5 lof .theplug 64, is"v a horizontally eX ,tendingarm E581.' The lengthv of the kar1n88 u p u A u frlilewise diminished and since the springs ate any system to which it vmay be attached.

ltY is obvious `that by increasing the length Y of the arm 88 any movement of the flexible element 21 ofthe regulator will be greatly magnified at the end ofthe arm'. An open- 1 ingv 89 is formed'in the arm v88r inf which a` an 'actuating member 96. 'lhe member 96 may be l.connected with a furnace draft, fur-V nace fuel valve or other device with which the regulator is tobe used.- Inasmuch as the` method of rconnecting up the member 96 to do the `work required is comparatively simple, no structure is shown for-the reason tor installation. r 'y For the ypurpose ofdescribingthe operation of the regulator, itis assumed thatthe thatthis structuregvarieswith each vregula-k pipe 28. is connected withga steam vb'oiler'and thatitisdesired to maintain a steam pressure yof two hundred pounds throughV the use ofthe regulator. VThe regulatorfis completee ly filled ywith water. rlhemember 96 is connected either with a valve which controls the fuel supply lby which the boiler isy heated or,

if coal is used, with an automatic stolzer or to regulate th'eqdrafts of the coalv burning heating unit."` q As `the pressureis built up within the f boiler, saidfpressureis likewise built 'up within the regulatorfnot only inthe space 18 of the fixed element but alsoin the space '74 of the'fleXible element. VVIrureasing the pressure within the regulator'tends t0 f l force theflexibleelement 21 away from the fixed elementr20 bystre'tching' or :separating the' coils lofthe'sprin-gs 53 an`d62. vWhen the steam within the boiler passestwo hundred' pounds pressure, said pressure will havev caused the springs 53 and 62 to become slightlyV extended 'and lthe outer end ofthe flexible element 21,now being too'vheav'y to remain supportedby the springs Q53 andf62 in'hori- ZontalY alignment with the lfiXed' element 20, v drops byA force lofl gravity. VvObviously, the

outer or unsupported end ,ofthe regulator moves considerably fartherfthanthe portion of the element 21 adjacent the collarl'?.` It

may be readily VVunderstood. that if thek arm 88 isV of a-,considerable lengthbeyond the end of the regulator,-said arm will drop a greater Ydistance'.-thus'causing the lever v.93,

Vallowedto dispel. y .n

' As thefpressuren lwithin ,the boiler di-j minishes, thepres'sure within the lregulator is "movement required of the regulator to operj through .thelinlr 92,V to draw, downwardly, ,y the member '-96. V4If the vmember 96y becon-v l nected', with the fuel valve, said valve will,

and `62 have been distorted and caused to move out of their normal position, upon the relief of pressure within the regulator, said springs will return to their normal position regulator is provided with an adjustment byl vwhich any pressure, however slight, will cause it to operate. This adjustment is made possiblev with the use of the spring 53, rods 41 and 69 and the `control handle 42. When the handle 42 is turned in a clockwise direction, the block 51 is caused to move toward c. so

moved toward the end of the rod 41 thus relieving the tension of the spring 53. The end of the flexible element 21 therefore is 'only held bythe normal tension of the spring 62 and upon the application offpressure to f the regulator, the springs 53 andy 62 will readily extend causing the flexible elements to elongate and drop by force of gravity.

The device above described, due toits sensitivity may be made use of in any system regardless of the pressure variation limits, in-y asmuch as the sensitivity rof the regulator is governed by the variable tension of th spring 53. A j

While only one embodiment of this in- Y' vention has been shown and described, applicant is .not limited thereto since it is obvious that other modifications or embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the hereunto annexed claims.

Having thus set forth my invention what I claim as new and for which I desire protec-` tion by Letters Patent is:

` 1. In a horizontal gravity pressure regulator for systems, a supported tube, a collar closing one end of said tube, a pressure con nection entering said tube, a collar attached to the other end of said tube, a flexible ele- `ment joined to saidcollar, and means connecting the remote ends of said tube and said Y flexible element, said means being adapted to variably control the flexibility of said flexible Y element.

2. In a horizontal gravity pressure'regkulator for systems, a tube, a plug closing one end of said tube, acollar mounted on the other end of said tube, .a flexible cylindrical element engaged with said collar, another plug closing the free end of said flexible elementand flexible means connecting said first plug with said other plug.

3. In a horizontal gravity pressure regulator for systems, a tube, a plug closing one end of said tube, a pressure inlet pipe in said tube, a flexible element connected with saidtube, an expansible container mounted in said element, a plug closing the free end of said element, and means adapted to variably control the flexibility of said flexible element. f

4. In a horizontal gravity pressure reg;

ulator for systems, a supported tube, a spiral coiled spring joined to one end of said tube, an expansible container in said spring, plugs closing remote ends of said tube and said spring, and means adapted to variably control the flexing of said spring.

5. In a horizontal gravity pressure regulator for systems, a supported tube, a spiral coiled spring, a collar connecting said'spring with said tube, plugs closing the remote ends of said tube and said'spring, an expansiblo container in said spring, said container opening into said tube, rods carriedl by said plugs and flexible means connecting said rods.

6. In a horizontal gravity pressure regulator for systems, a tube, a closely coiled spring, a' collar connecting said spring with said tube, plugs closing the remote ends of Y said tube and said spring, a manually rotatable rod carried by one of said plugs and projecting into said tube, another rod carried by the other of said plugs, and a spring carried by and connecting said rods.

`7. In a horizontal gravity pressure regulator for systems, a tube, a closely coiled spring connected with said tube, an expansible container in said spring, plugs closing the remote ends of said tube and said springs,

an adjustable rod carried by one of said plugs,

said rod projecting into said tube, a'nut threaded on said plugs, said last named rod extending through said spring into said tube,

a nut threaded on said rod, and a spiral spring carried by said nut and flexibly connecting said rods together.

In testimony whereof I have' aiiixed my signature.

- THOMAS M. WILKINS. 

